Thin Ice Read online

  “Yeah, she’s nothing like Jaleesa,” he said rather distastefully, having no idea how dangerous the woman he was abusing on a nightly basis, truly was.

  Landon called him on it.

  “So why do you keep her around?” he asked his friend, knowing Evan could easily dump the woman and have her replaced in less than twenty-four hours.

  “Sex is good, and I love the way she worships me,” Evan chuckled to his friend.

  They both laughed at his statement before Landon got back to the subject of Kaitlyn.

  “She’s a beautiful woman,” he said wistfully. “I just wish she would give a brutha a breathing chance,” he went on, staring out of the window. “I would treat her good,” Landon finished as he swallowed the last of his drink.

  Evan walked over to his friend as he stood beside the window. “Tonight you need to be on point with your game,” he told him. “From what Jaleesa tells me, Kaitlyn hasn’t been with anyone for a while now,” he continued. “The ex dogged her out and she’s very leery of guys in general,” he finished waiting on Landon to comment.

  “Do you know what happened?” he asked Evan, referring to the ex-boyfriend.

  “Yeah, seems they’d been dating about a year or so, idiot named Tripp, he was a small time drug thug,” Evan said nastily, completely oblivious to Jaleesa and Kaitlyn’s own illicit activity, as Landon nodded his understanding.

  “Well he decides he wanna start taking coochie credit for dope, feel me?” Evan threw out again as Landon sucked his teeth in disgust. “So of course Kaitlyn catches him with about four different women before she finally has had enough,” he went on as Landon listened intently. “But oh this muthafucka don’t wanna hear that, he stalks her, jumped on her one night and messed her up pretty good,” Evan stopped to sip his drink as Landon’s mouth hung open.

  “What did she do?” he asked, curious how Kaitlyn would handle the situation.

  “Her and Jaleesa got together and went over to dude’s house,” Evan told him beginning to chuckle slightly from the memory. “They did the usual, broke out all the car windows, slashed all the tires,” he told him as Landon again nodded in agreement. “Then they walked in the front door,” Evan told Landon explaining Kaitlyn had a key. “Caught that fool with his pants down getting his dick sucked, and both of them kicked the snot outta him,” he laughed full out now as Landon chuckled lightly himself.

  Landon was impressed with Kaitlyn’s strength. He would definitely try to get beyond that wall with her tonight. I was a real jackass that first time, he thought sighing deeply. Please let her give a brutha another chance. Landon had developed deep feelings for Kaitlyn without knowing why. She just stayed with him after that first meeting. So much so that he’d had two or three erotic dreams about her. Landon told Evan he would be back shortly as he left to go and change for the game. Tonight is gonna be different, he thought of Kaitlyn; making up his mind to get beyond her walled fortress and inside her heart.

  3

  Kaitlyn checked her reflection in the mirror and decided she looked good. She changed her mind about the sundress Jaleesa suggested and instead decided on the purple and white paisley patterned skirt, partnering it with a soft lavender T-strap top. There was a deep v-neck to the shirt, enough to get attention, but not enough to get arrested. The outfit was form fitting and showed off her flawless curves. Kaitlyn checked her make-up deciding to go with a simple eye and brow liner, a light touch of mascara and lipstick. Grabbing her bag she put in the weed and coke that Jaleesa told her they would need and headed to the front door.

  “Wassup KiKi,” Ian said smoothly taking in the shocked look on her face as she opened the door.

  Kaitlyn tried to gather herself. She was completely taken aback that this man was standing outside her door.

  “Nothin’ much Ice,” Kaitlyn replied. “I was just on my way out,” she tried again hoping he would take the hint.

  Instead Ian walked inside and headed to her kitchen, grabbing himself a soda from her fridge and taking a seat on her couch. Sighing deeply Kaitlyn dutifully returned to the living room and waited on him to speak again.

  “You look nice,” Ian told her amiably looking her over and loving the outfit. “Where are you going?”

  “To a game,” Kaitlyn replied honestly.

  “Arena game,” Ian questioned again, as Kaitlyn nodded in the affirmative. “Mmph,” he grunted but said nothing more for a while.

  “Listen Ice,” Kaitlyn tried again. “I don’t know what it is you want from me, but I wish you’d get it off your chest,” she finished hoping it would prompt him to talk so she could leave.

  Kaitlyn knew Jaleesa was probably growing restless waiting on her.

  “You dealing tonight?” Ian asked instead of answering her query.

  Sighing again, Kaitlyn told him yes.

  “The arena is my territory you know,” Ian told her calmly.

  Damn, Kaitlyn thought behind the tranquil façade.

  “I’ve been hearing rumors that your girl Tweety is tryna muscle in and start her own supply chain,” he went on still speaking calmly.

  “I don’t think she knew Ice,” Kaitlyn tried. “Neither of us would knowingly disrespect you like that,” she added quickly as Ian continued to regard her.

  “Mmph,” he grunted again finishing off the drink and placing the can on her coffee table.

  “You perhaps,” Ian answered. “But Tweety is ruled by the brain below her waist most times,” he continued as Kaitlyn patiently waited for the other shoe to drop. “She’s going to self-destruct and destroy everyone and everything around her when she does,” Ian finished matter of fact.

  “Again Ice,” Kaitlyn started once more. “I’m sure Tweety was clueless that the arena was already yours,” she finished as Ian sighed deeply.

  “KiKi you’re smart,” he told her as he stood and walked over to where she sat in the recliner, pulling her to her feet. “Get out now and join a winning team,” Ian told her softly, kissing her lips gently.

  Kaitlyn didn’t react, willing herself to stay calm and deal with the situation.

  “Thanks for the offer Ice,” she began and Ian continued to regard her. “But I’m good where I am,” she replied evenly again hoping Ian didn’t flip out on her.

  “Do you remember what I told you KiKi?” Ian asked as he continued to caress her gently, his hand sliding effortlessly over her breast.

  “Yeah, I remember,” Kaitlyn told him still holding her own.

  “Leave the product here tonight, and don’t deal in my territory again,” Ian told her returning his eyes to her own, his tone tense.

  “You know I’m a man of my word don’t you,” he began again still holding Kaitlyn’s gaze.

  Nodding slightly not liking where the conversation was headed, she continued to listen attentively. “If I find out Tweety is still in my territory, or trying to steal my clients,” Ian went on evenly. “I’m going to make everyone involved very sorry,” he finished as the dread quickly ran down Kaitlyn’s spine.

  “OK, Ice,” Kaitlyn returned trying to sound as remorseful as she could. “I’m going to tell her when I get to the game,” she told him as Ian continued to hold her.

  “You still keeping your legs closed?” he asked, effectively changing the subject.

  Kaitlyn sighed slightly but answered his question nonetheless.

  “Why you tryna put me on lock Ice,” she finally questioned once again annoyed he was trying to rule her personal life.

  Chuckling Ian leaned in and kissed Kaitlyn deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth as his hands caressed her breasts and butt, boldly going up her skirt and headed down her thong.

  “No, stop,” Kaitlyn told him pushing Ian away again.

  “I told you Ice,” she returned angrily. “It ain’t that kinda party,” she added trying to move away from him.

  Ian reached out and grabbed her, throwing Kaitlyn onto the couch again, this time pinning her down with his body as he lay on top of her.
/>   “If I really just wanted to fuck you KiKi, you would have been fucked by now,” he told her angrily as she stared back boldly. “I’m trying to offer you better than this two dime runnin’ and hustling you’re doing with Tweety,” he told her his anger abating somewhat.

  “Is that why you’re always tryna get in my panties, and telling me who to screw,” Kaitlyn threw back still angry as hell.

  “I’m feeling you KiKi, but hey you already know that,” Ian replied. “But I don’t have to take sex, its always being served up on a platter for me,” he told her as Kaitlyn sucked her teeth and turned her head.

  “Don’t let me catch Tweety in my yard again, hear me?” Ian told her as he forcefully turned her face toward him again.

  “I heard you Ice,” Kaitlyn returned evenly. “And I told you I was gonna deal with it,” she finished wanting very much for him to get off her.

  Sighing slightly, Ian rose and pulled Kaitlyn up, hugging her tightly once again and whispering in her ear.

  “I will kill her KiKi, whether it hurts you or not,” Ian told her as Kaitlyn stood horrified at the thought.

  Just as calmly as he entered, Ian left her apartment after issuing the final warning. Grabbing her purse and removing the product, Kaitlyn raced out the door headed to the arena. She had to stop Jaleesa before neither of them was drawing breath ever again.

  4

  Tariq was thinking about Kaitlyn again, sighing deeply knowing how attracted he was to the woman, and equally how she would never entertain the idea of being with a junkie.

  “Thanks man,” Hasaan told his younger brother taking the packet of dope from him and preparing to smoke it.

  “Hasaan man,” Tariq started looking at his brother evenly. “You need to leave this poison alone,” he tried again for the hundredth time.

  “It’s all I got man,” Hasaan replied pitifully once again feeling sorry for himself.

  Hasaan White was Tariq’s only family now that their mother was dead. They had different fathers but that never distanced their close bond. Hasaan had been in and out of jail for as long as Tariq could remember. Constantly losing jobs, girlfriends, and any material possessions he’d ever acquired, Hasaan turned to dope.

  Tariq had a small one bedroom apartment off Cascade road and had allowed his brother to move in with him after getting put out of the halfway house he’d been living in. Hasaan had immediately hit the streets buying drugs and getting indebted to the various street hustlers in the area. The only reason they hadn’t killed him immediately was Tariq. Everyone knew him and he had a reputation for being honest. Tariq made arrangements to pay all the dealers Hasaan owed and the dealers told him they wouldn’t sell to his brother anymore. Tariq never wanted to start supplying his brother’s habit, but after a bad dose of poorly cut smack from a unscrupulous hustler from the other side of town, Tariq decided he had to if he didn’t want his brother to overdose and die.

  Tariq reasoned that if he could control how much dope his brother got his hands on, he could eventually get him to stop. It’d been two years and Hasaan hadn’t slowed down a bit. Sighing deeply again, tired of watching as Hasaan enjoyed his high, Tariq left him in the bedroom and headed to the kitchen with plans of making himself something to eat. Walking through the small living room Tariq looked at the ramshackle furnishings and felt the helplessness descend again. He wanted to buy furniture, to get curtains to hang at the window instead of sheets. Tariq wanted someplace nice to call home, to invite Kaitlyn over to, to make love in, he thought as he pulled sandwich meat out of the refrigerator. Damn, this situation is so jacked up, Tariq thought finishing his creation and cutting it in half.

  Thinking about Kaitlyn always made him melancholy. He’d met her when he first started buying for Hasaan. She’d been at the club that night off Bankhead highway, standing out like a sore thumb in his mind as he watched her interacting with the various partygoers. He’d finally made a couple inquiries into who she was when he found out she was a dealer. “They sell good shit, don’t cut it so much you can’t get high,” Zeshawn told Tariq. Zeshawn was a lifelong friend of both he and Hasaan and he definitely knew his way around the streets. “Talk to KiKi though,” Zeshawn had advised again. “Tweety ass be on that other merry-go-round most times,” he told Tariq referring to woman’s wild, sometimes out of control, behavior. Taking his friends advice Tariq had approached Kaitlyn asking for the smack, which she’d readily supplied.

  Tariq had asked her to dance immediately afterward and after giving him a slightly quizzical look, she’d acquiesced and headed to the floor with him. Smiling as he thought about the night, Tariq recalled how hard he’d fallen for Kaitlyn. Through the months that followed he’d managed to ingratiate himself further in her personal life spending lots of couple’s time with her. She still thinks you’re a junkie though fool, his mind shot at him bringing the fantasy to a crashing end. As much as he wanted to, Tariq couldn’t tell her the secret he carried; besides she probably wouldn’t believe him anyway. He’d promised to take care of his older brother and help get him well. Sighing deeply and rising again, Tariq opened the soup and prepared himself for the battle to get Hasaan to eat it. I got to get him in rehab, he thought again making a mental note to call some of the local health departments and Medicaid office to see if he could get some help. Once he got Hasaan well, Tariq planned to sit Kaitlyn down and tell her the truth, tell her how much he loved her, and beg her for the chance to show her how good he would be to her.

  *****

  “Did you know this was Ice’s territory?” Kaitlyn asked point blank once she met Jaleesa at the gate and they were walking back to the elevator headed to the private suite.

  “I heard he sold a little here and there,” Jaleesa lied.

  She’d known from the beginning Ice ran the local arena league and was trying to do the same thing she was, get in with all the other league teams to supply their dope needs.

  “He does more than that,” Kaitlyn fired back going on to tell her about his visit and the things he’d said.

  “How the hell did he know where you live?” Jaleesa asked slightly uneasy he could access her friend that readily.

  “I have no clue,” Kaitlyn returned tiredly. “We are not going to war with Ice, Tweety,” she told her friend evenly as they rode the elevator. “I mean it,” she iterated, knowing how Jaleesa could be.

  “KiKi,” Jaleesa began patiently as the elevator doors opened and they began walking down the corridor. “This could be our ticket,” she was trying to reason with her friend.

  “No, Tweety,” Kaitlyn returned quickly. “I ain’t scared of this hustle, you know that,” she went on holding her friends gaze. “But Ice is no damned joke, you know he kills fools for sport,” Kaitlyn warned as Jaleesa’s attention never wandered.

  Sighing lightly Jaleesa spoke again.

  “Look,” she began as Kaitlyn steeled herself. “We won’t sell to anyone here, OK,” she continued to explain. “But the rest of the league is not Ice’s territory,” she told Kaitlyn who was herself listening intently now. “He’s tryna get a leg up just like we are,” Jaleesa told her as they stopped a few feet away from the suite door to finish their conversation. “So I say all is fair in the game,” she began anew. “If we can use our skills to get in good, and get the hook up with the rest of the league, then to bad for Ice,” she told Kaitlyn, who while leery had to admit Jaleesa made sense.

  “Tonight we’re meeting all the big shots and I don’t know about you, but I’ma make this chance count,” Jaleesa told her friend who nodded slightly.

  “OK then,” Jaleesa told her glad that it was settled.

  “You bring the orders,” she asked as Kaitlyn sighed deeply and shook her head yes.

  She’d originally taken them out of her purse, but changed her mind, going back inside her apartment grabbing them and bringing them with her.

  “You bring the condoms too,” Jaleesa asked as Kaitlyn chuckled and handed her four of them.

  “You got
enough for yourself,” she questioned giving Kaitlyn a look.

  “Who am I gonna be screwing,” she threw back still laughing.

  “Mmm, Landon would surely be grateful for a sniff or two,” Jaleesa replied as they both roared with laughter and entered the suite still smiling as Evan and Landon greeted them.

  5

  “You look great,” Landon told Kaitlyn taking her outfit in.

  Damn this woman is fine, he thought behind the smile.

  “Thanks,” Kaitlyn replied as she accepted the drink he offered. “I appreciate you inviting me.”

  “It’s my pleasure,” Landon returned softly still looking intently at her.

  Kaitlyn sighed lightly trying to relax and possibly allow herself to get tension release from this man tonight.

  “You like football,” Landon asked trying to get to know her slightly better.

  Chuckling Kaitlyn told him she adored the game. They talked a few moments more about the sport and Landon found she was indeed quite knowledgeable about the game, its players, plays and penalties.

  “Kaitlyn,” he began still looking at her intently. “I really want to apologize for my behavior at the club when we first met,” he went on. “That wasn’t the Landon I really want you to get to know,” he took another breath and plunged ahead. “I hope we can start over tonight, and this becomes our fresh new beginning,” he finished looking to her for a response.

  Kaitlyn supposed she should at least give the man a real chance. He might turn out to be really good and right now she was horny beyond belief. She was sick of thinking about Tariq and what if, and she was tired of being alone, truth be told. She smiled slightly as she spoke.

  “I’d like that a lot Landon,” Kaitlyn told him kindly, just as Evan called out asking them if they wanted steak or chicken.

  Landon smiled and kissed her softly, before rising to go inside and help Evan with the food.